Car-fender



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2. F. J HOPKINS & G. H. MILLER.

CAR FENDER, No. 560,902. v Patented May 26, 1896.

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F. J. HOPKINS 82; G. H. MILLERy GAR FENDER.

o. 560,902; Patented May 26, 14896.

ATmm VE AN DREW BERAHAM, PNOTOUTHDVWASHINGTONJ C.

UNITED STATES ATENT Erica,

FRANK J. HOPKINS AND GEORGE H. MILLER, OF NElrVARK, NEYV JERSEY.

C AR-FENDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 560,902, dated May 26, 1896. Application filed November 16,1895. Serial No. 569,161. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK J. HOPKINS and GEORGE H. MILLER, citizens of the United States of America, and residents of Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New J ersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Fenders, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention has reference to a fender for street-cars and other vehicles, and has for its object to effectually avoid injury or loss of life by preventing the person who may be struck by the fender from falling in front of the latter and under the car. To this end we so construct the fender that the person is caused to fall toward the car and upon the fender, whereupon a movable platform form ing part of the latter lifts the person upon the body of the fender and retains him within and upon the latter, such action beingautomatic and in no wise dependent upon the attendant.

Our invention therefore consists, essentially, in a fender comprising in its structure a frame adapted to be connected to the car, a platform mounted to swing on said frame and normally held downwardly, means for turning said platform upwardly, and a lock connecting the frame and platform and adapted to be disengaged to release the platform when the latter encounters an obstacle.

The nature of our said invention will best be understood when described in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a fender constructed according to our invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the swinging platform turned upwardly to its full extent. Fig. 3 is a plan view of Fig. 1.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings, the letters A A designate two oppositely-placed side frames provided with suitable cross-braces to form a strong connected frame. This frame, which we shall term the main frame, may be attached to the body of the car, the platform, or to the truck-frame T in any suitable manner. In the present instance we have shown it provided with perforated lugs a a, which are mounted on pivot-pins a a,

having their supporting members bolted or riveted .directlyto thetruck-frame. With this mode of attachment the fender can be readily removed and transferred when necessary, while at the same time the Vibrations of the car-body do not affect the same. The main frameis made substantially L-shaped, and the greater portion of the upper face of the horizontal member is inclined downwardly. To said horizontal member are secured on opposite sides two lugs or bearings b 13, supporting a horizontal shaft 0, to which is hinged a lever-frame cl, adapted to swing in a vertical plane about said shaft 0 as an axis. This frame is supported upon the inclined portion of the main frame and carries at its outer end two latch-levers c e, mounted to turn about suitable pivot-pins f and adapted to engage with pins or projections g g, extending horizontally from the opposite sides ofthe said main frame. Above this leverframe (I is located a platform 13, connected with said frame by links 6 e at one end and to the latch-levers c e at its opposite end. This platform is covered with a soft material, or, as here shown, an elastic or yielding surface is formed by flat springs 72, distributed at proper intervals and covered with a wire or chain cloth h,of usual construction. From the lever-frame cl arms 1 are carried downwardly and inwardly, and to the outer ends of said arms are attached retractile springs S, secured at their opposite ends to the main frame of the fender. The action of these springs is, therefore, to turn the lever-frame d and the attached platform B upwardly about i the shaft 0 when the latch-levers e e are dis- 1 connected from the pins or projections g g to release the said lever-frame. This disconnection is effected by the slidingor downward and rearward motion of the platform relative to the lever-frame when the person falls upon or against the former. From Fig. 1 it will be seen that the, latch-levers e e and the links 6 c are inclined rearwardly. Consequently a force applied to the platform will depress and move the same backward, thereby turning the latch-levers about their pivots sufficiently to disengage them from the pins or projections g g on the main frame.

The vertical member of the main frame is covered with a cushion G, constructed like the cushion of the platform B, said cushion being extended over a portion of the horizontal member of the frame, as at O, to close the gap between the members. This extension 0 reaches to a point below or somewhat past the inner end of the platform 13, so that-when the platform is swung to the position shown in Fig. 2 by the action of the springs a cushioned receptacle or space, closed at the front, back, and bottom, is formed. This receptacle or space I have marked by reference-letter D in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In the event of a person being struck by the fender he is caused to fall upon the same and the platform Bis moved backward and released. The platform is immediately drawn to its elevated position, Fig. 2, carrying the person with it and into the space marked D, wherein he is confined and prevented from falling out. All the parts being properly cushioned, little or no shock is experienced. To provide for, in case the person should not be lifted with the platform, we cover the inclined portion of the main frame located beneath the platform with wire or chain cloth E, which will receive and retain the person and thus prevent him from falling beneath the fender.

We do not wish to confine ourselves to the details of construction herein shown and described for the frame and swinging platform, nor to the use of springs as a motive power for actuating the latter, since it is evident that other constructions may be employed and that the actuating force may be supplied by a weight or other motor.

What we claim as new is 1. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a frame, a hinged retractile platform, means for turning the same upwardly, and a separable, restraining connection between the frame and platform released by the retractile movement of the platform,when encountering an obstacle, to permit the upward movement of said platform under the influence of the actuating means, substantially as described.

2. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a main frame, a lever-frame hinged to the main frame, means for turning the lever-frame upwardly, a separable connection between the lever-frame and the main frame, and a platform connected with the leverframe and adapted to break the connection between the two frames, substantially as described.

3. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a main frame provided with a horizontal and a vertical member, a lever-frame mounted on the horizontal member and having a separable connection with the same, springs acting on said lever-frame to turn the same upwardly, a platform linked to the lever-frame and acting on the separable connection, and cushions for the platform and the main frame, substantially as described.

4. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a main frame, a lever-frame hinged to the main frame, a retractile spring connected with the lever-frame for turning the same upwardly, a latch-lever on the swinging frame engaging with the main frame to hold the former against the action of the spring, and a platform linked to the lever-frame and engaging the latchlever, substantially as described.

5. The combination with a car, or like vehicle,eonsistin g of an L-shape frame attached to the truck-frame and provided with cushioned surfaces, as described, a hinged retractile platform, means for turning the same upwardly, and a separable, restraining connection between the frame and platform released by the retractile movement of the plat form, when encountering an obstacle, to permit the upward movement of said platform under theinfluence of the actuating means, substantially as described.

6. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a main frame having a vertical and a horizontal member, a swinging platform, means for turning the same upwardly, a separable restraining connection between the frame and platform, and an auxiliary or receiving platform below the swinging platform, substantially as described.

7. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a main frame, a swinging platform, means for turning the same upwardly, a separable restraining connection between the frame and platform, and an auxiliary receiv- ICO ing platform below the swinging platform,

substantially as described.

8. A fender for vehicles comprising in its structure a main frame, a lever-frame hinged to the main frame, means for turning the lever-frame upwardly, a separable connection between the lever-frame and the main frame, a platform above the lever-frame,and inclined links connecting saidplatform with the leverframe, whereby the connection between the lever-frame and the main frame is automatically broken to effect the upward movement of the lever-frame and platform,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names, in presence of two witnesses, this 12th day of November, 1895.

FRANK J. HOPKINS. GEORGE H. MILLER. \Vitnesses:

)AsPAn MILLER, A. FABER DU FAUR, Jr. 

